"Energy access for all" - a double-edged sword?

"Electricity for all Africans is an important goal, but comes with a big risk: Increasing pollution and CO2 emissions from back-up diesel generators. In order to avoid this crisis scenario, providing energy access for all must go hand in hand with investments in distributed renewables", writes Terje Osmundsen in his latest article in "Energi og Klima".

"Providing energy access for Africa’s unserved population is one of the most popular targets for development finance and so-called impact investors these days. That’s the message from a recent World Bank report on the topic, and is also my take-away from the Global Impact Investor Network – GIIN – Forum that took place in Paris end of October. But can the efforts to reach one of UNs Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – nr 7, Energy access for all – hurt the realisation of equally important development goals?"